You, The Room & The Devil On Your Shoulder
by LenaHorror
Summary: Nero Van Buren is the maternal cousin of Draco Malfoy. They both have Malfoy blood but that's where the similarities stop. As the son of a professional Quidditch player, Nero was expected to fall in line and do the same. That didn't happen, however. Things soon change when he has to leave the life he made for himself to protect his family from an unlikely enemy: Draco himself.
1. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF…

[ **Title** ] You, The Room & The Devil On Your Shoulder  
[ **Author **] Lena Horror  
[ **Genre** ] Harry Potter (AU)  
[ **Story ****Genre **] Drama/Angst  
[ **Rating **] Fiction M (16+) but some later chapters may reach MA (18+) because of content.  
[ **Pairings **] Draco Malfoy/Alena Snape (Original Character), Angel Raye (Original Character)/Oliver Wood, Most other pairings that are canon (mentions)  
[ **Word Count **] 994 for first actual chapter [ prologue not included ] 

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**PROLOGUE: ****(NECESSARY) AUTHOR NOTES  
**

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So I knew I would need to do a prologue for this story because of the massive amount of backstory with this particular alternative universe that I'm working with within the Harry Potter realm of creation. Quick side bar: if you're a fan of the band As It Is, you'll notice a lot of their songs/lyrics being used as chapter titles/and the story title as a whole, too!

I'm going to start by I have been a Harry Potter fan for a very, very long time. In that time, I've been afforded the luxury of writing with one of the most amazing writers I've ever met who shares my passion for the Harry Potter Universe and has helped me create some of the original characters that you'll be seeing in this story. Yes, there are a few. Specifically one: Alena Snape. Now, Alena – or Lena – is NOT the main character of this fanfiction but she plays a prevalent role in it. Because it's alt universe, I will be stating when some things are canon but a lot of it will be in this alternative universe. Snape is the daughter of Severus and the long-term love interest of Draco. So in this? Astoria Greengrass and Draco Malfoy did NOT happen, as Draco and Alena have dated since fourth year.

Let me also say that – yes – Alena will be getting her own story. (I may actually do that along side of this one?) On my former account, I had a couple of stories that featured her, which one might get re-written because I'm a lot better of a writer now and have played with her character a lot longer to understand her more. I also have written her a lot more with a friend of mine playing Draco so I understand their relationship dynamic a lot more. (Yes, I go all in with stories and characters that I'm passionate about. It's pretty wild.) While she plays a pivotal role in this story though, this one isn't about her.

The original character in this story is called Nero Van Buren. Nero is the cousin of Draco on his mother's side. Because canonically, Abraxas Malfoy had at least ONE child, in Lucius Malfoy, but in this AU, Lucius had a sister named Annabelle. Nero is her child. She married into a pure-blood family called Van Buren, thus keeping the pure-blood lineage for her child. While Annabelle dropped Malfoy in favor of Van Buren, she is a member of the Malfoy lineage and fits along the stereotype that the Malfoy family are known for. While her husband, Emery Van Buren, comes from a wealthy and respected pure-blood family, unlike some of the Malfoy lineage, the Van Buren family have limited ties to the dark arts/death eaters. Annabelle, however, did but she never returned to that way of life once married. She was "trying to turn over a new leaf", especially after having a son in Nero.

As you'll learn in this story, Nero is the opposite of Draco in just about every way that there is to be opposite of someone. They have a very tense relationship which will be explored. Additionally, a lot of the AU points will be answered and implemented into the flow of the story and I'm hoping to do so as seamlessly. Alright. Enough chatter. Let's get it.

\- L.H

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**CHAPTER ONE: TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF…**

_`` But carry the whole world… just forget that it hurts… `` _

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**SETTING: Twenty-Six Years Ago. 31st October. All Hallows Eve.**

"Merlin's mercy, it's a boy!"

Miss Cleary, the Van Buren family nurse, declared as a banshee-rivaling shriek filled the stone halls of the Van Buren estate in Trowbridge, Wiltshire.

Annabelle Van Buren lay spent on the bed, Emery Van Buren dabbing a cool cloth on his wife's brow and face to remove the skin-drenching sweat that had come from her physical efforts in delivery. Her breathing was heavy but she looked up at Emery, appreciative of the kindness in his eyes and the gesture of the cool compress to her skin. Her skin felt like a fire was raging beneath her skin but the moment she heard her precious son's wailing, tears joined the sweat on her face.

"Listen to those lungs, Emery, my goodness," Annabelle said, a soft laugh escaping her tired body after hearing her son's first cries.

"That's a Van Buren traits shining through, I wager," Emery responded, a smile on his face as warm as a summer's sun, a deep-rooted admiration for his wife etched in his features.

"Ten fingers, ten toes. We have a healthy young lad!" Miss Cleary declared proudly, "He'll be right with you, Miss Annabelle."

The first few moments of his life, Annabelle had her eyes closed as she tried to ignore the throbbing pain inside of her body. Childbirth was a pain like nothing she had ever experienced and at the age of twenty-one, having a child never was in the plans. Alas, her marriage to Emery, her teenage crush, at the age of nineteen brought forward a lot of changes in her life. The biggest one was her last name no longer being Malfoy but the unexpected pregnancy was another big one. She had planned on having children, but selfishly, she wasn't sure that she was prepared for it at that stage in her life. Upon finding out that she was with child, Annabelle knew that she had to prepare for anything.

Both Annabelle and Emery had a mutual way of thinking when it came to how they wanted to raise their children, which was a topic of discussion that happened not long after finding out Annabelle was pregnant. They wanted to make sure their children had the best in life they possibly could provide. Annabelle and Emery were a well off couple so financially, a child was not something they had to worry about for financial reasons. Both Annabelle and Emery came from wealthy, respected (for better or worse) families, and Emery was a professional Quidditch player, a beater, who played for The Appleby Arrows with a great reputation and a family lineage of professional Quidditch stars.

Many thoughts went through Annabelle's mind regarding their newborn son.

What she envisioned for him.

What she hoped for his future.

Where she saw him in five… ten… fifteen years on from that day.

"Here you are, Madam Annabelle, your beautiful boy." Miss Cleary said, gently placing the swaddled child in the arms of his mother. "What will we be calling him, Madam?"

"Nero," Annabelle said, her tone soft as she looked at the face of the tiny child in her arms. He looked far more perfect than even she had envisioned. "Nero Armand Van Buren."

"That is a beautiful name, Madam."

"He is perfect, therefore he deserves a name fitting of such standard."

Nero was a name derived from the last Roman emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, youngest sole emperor until Elagabalus. Armand was a name handpicked by Annabelle to immortalize Armand Malfoy; the first Malfoy ancestor in Great Britain, arriving from France with the Norman Invasion. He was the founder of Malfoy Manor, a piece of real estate that he acquired from King William I in exchange for his services.

A wizard was only as great as his name and Annabelle learned that from Lord Voldermort's teachings. Not to say that Annabelle anticipated that her son would be that level of wizard but she could aspire as such for her first born.

Annabelle held Nero to her chest, her hand gently cradling his head. Even if she hadn't originally wanted to be a parent so young, once she held him, all of her thoughts on that seemed to vanish like fog once the warmth of sunlight engulfed it. Emery watched Annabelle with loving eyes and a love in his heart that felt incredibly overwhelming. He already loved her, he was in love with her, and had been in love with her for what felt like a small age but seeing her holding their first born was truthfully a moment that he could not have prepared himself for.

Emery's love for Annabelle proved that even if you didn't share all views with them, you could still love them eternally, and do spectacular things with them.

"What do you think he'll become, Anna, luv?" Emery inquired, his tone soft yet curious, as he gazed upon the new love of his life with his original. "Do you think he'll be something grand?"

"Yes," Annabelle cooed, her fingertips gently caressing her child's cheek to feel over his skin. "I believe he'll be a marvel, a great wizard one day." She looked up at Emery. "Perhaps he'll play Quidditch one day, like you. Or perhaps he'll do things that are far greater than both of us could ever dream of."

"With your love and guidance, I have no doubt he is destined for greatness due to that and that alone," Emery smiled, his hand gently caressing and holding the side of Annabelle's face. When her face turned into his hand, he leaned in, kissing her forehead. "I will live for you both and I would die for you both. To ensure that you are both taken care of and to make sure you are both safe. Nothing will ever surpass either of you. Nothing ever could."


	2. STILL FRAME MINDS

[ **Title** ] You, The Room The Devil On Your Shoulder[ **Author **] Lena Horror[ **Genre** ] Harry Potter (AU)[ **Story ****Genre **] Drama/Angst[ **Rating **] Fiction M (16) but some later chapters may reach MA (18) because of content.[ **Pairings **] Draco Malfoy/Alena Snape (Original Character), Angel Raye (Original Character)/Oliver Wood, Most other pairings that are canon (mentions)[ **Word Count **] 3.4K

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**CHAPTER TWO: STILL FRAME MINDS...**

_ 'Cause old thoughts hate modern words… it's not just the truth that hurts… _

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**SETTING: Fifteen Years Ago. 31st October. All Hallows Eve.**

Finally.

_Eleven._

Having been born on 31st October, Nero wouldn't be allowed to go to school the same as most other children his age. Most children in their world who turned eleven before 1st September were permitted to attend their First Year of wizarding school then. Unfortunately, Nero had to wait until the following term to begin as his birthday fell at the end of October. It was news that made the bright-eyed blonde a bit upset but in the same vein, he had the opportunity to learn more from his father and the team that had been assigned to teach him what he needed to know prior to attending wizarding school.

Annabelle and Emery, his parents, had quite lengthy discussions and debates, albeit never hostile, about what school was right for their son.

Annabelle insisted Durmstrang Institute would have been ideal for Nero. Being one of the three largest institutes for teaching magic in Europe, there was no doubt in her mind that he would receive an ideal education. There were a few added incentives to Durmstrang Institute in Annabelle's opinion, ranging from the location of the school but also a few other traits about the school enticed her. She would never admit it out loud, at least not in mixed company, but the no-muggle-admittance rule was incredibly attractive to her. It wasn't as if she cared, per se, if her child associated with muggle-borns but she didn't exactly want him to go out of his way to do so. She believed that he should have held his company in the highest of esteem and muggle-born witches and wizards did not appeal to her.

Perhaps a Malfoy trait but product of raising was hard to shake off.

Emery, on the other hand, believed Hogwarts School would be a fantastic opportunity for Nero. Both Annabelle and Emery were students at Hogwarts in their youth, and while Durmstrang Institute had quite the reputation, as did Hogwarts. Hogwarts, for Emery, was a better deal given that it was much closer for him to come home for holidays and, well… he enjoyed Hogwarts for what it was when he attended.

"He'll, absolutely, be in Slytherin," Emery told Annabelle. "There's no way he would be anything but. Not with Van Buren blood. Not with Malfoy blood. He is destined for greatness and all of the greatest wizards of the age were Slytherin. Look at you, for example."

Smooth talking Annabelle was always one of Emery's strengths...

It was settled, by Nero's eleventh birthday, that he would be attending Hogwarts rather than Durmstrang Institute. He had eleven months to prepare for it, too.

Nero had been learning from a very young age, walking age really, how to fly and was learning core requirements like reading and writing. Annabelle and Emery had hired the very best private tutors they could find to ensure that their child was ahead of the curve when he arrived at whatever school he was destined to end up at. The young Van Buren, the only child Annabelle and Emery had, excelled in everything that was put in front of him.

Not only was he incredibly book savvy but he learned things quite quickly.

Flying came very naturally to him, which was unsurprising to Annabelle, given his genetics. Not only was he a Malfoy but the Van Buren name was a name that was quite synonymous with excellent flying skills. After all, Emery played Quidditch professionally. He wasn't the only member of the Van Buren family to do so, either, in their history. Annabelle knew that her son had incredible potential but he surprised her more and more every single day.

That year, Annabelle and Emery planned a particularly large soiree for their son's eleventh birthday. Their families were coming, which was bound to be very exciting. Having both Malfoy and Van Buren under the same roof was, no doubt, going to be a wonderful experience. It would also give Nero an opportunity to bond with his paternal cousin, Draco.

Like Annabelle, her brother Lucius only had one child. Annabelle had spent time with her brother, his wife Narcissa, and their son and she was particularly fond of her eight-year-old nephew. He was a sassy little thing with white-blonde hair and gray eyes, a very handsome young lad, and also very intelligent for his age. Not that Annabelle had any doubts he would be. Perhaps it was cocky of her to say but with Malfoy blood running through his veins, there was no way he'd be anything less.

The family began arriving early in the day on 31st October to celebrate young Nero's eleventh birthday. The estate was decorated and prepared for a large group of guests and Annabelle believed everything would go swimmingly that day. How could it not? Family affairs were so underrated and, yes, she may have been using her son's eleventh birthday as a way to ensure that their families would converge. Emery was able to be there as well, which was a bit rare with his occupation. He wasn't absent in his child's upbringing but sometimes, it was hard to get away when the demand of a professional team was so high.

Nero understood. In fact, Nero was elated to watch his father play Quidditch.

"I want to play someday, too," Nero told Emery, "I want to be like you,"

"And you can, too." Emery assured him. "Nothing would ever stop you, least of all me. You'd make a remarkable beater! It's in your blood, boy!"

Annabelle welcomed guests upon their arrival as Nero sat in the den. He was working on one of his core papers, a reading comprehension piece assigned to him by one of his tutors, Miss Marietta.

Miss Marietta was an incredibly strict tutor. She was insistent on making sure Nero was proficient in reading and writing and she didn't let him slack off under any circumstances. She was being paid, handsomely, by the Van Buren family to ensure that Nero was as well prepared, OVERLY prepared, _obsessively_ prepared… to outscore, outrank and outlast his classmates regardless of the institution he was sent to, to learn magic properly. Miss Marietta did just that. Even for as hard as she was, Nero enjoyed her, and he found her passion for his learning to be very complimentary. Even at eleven years old he recognized the efforts she put in to teaching him and he was very appreciative of it. He would often pick her a flower from the gardens in the back of their home, usually a pink or yellow flower as those were her favorite colors, just to say thank you to her in a way other than a verbally spoken gratitude.

She smiled once, maybe twice… but it still happened. That was enough for Nero.

One thing that was uncharacteristic was how effortlessly kind Nero was.

A lot of people assumed that because the boy had Malfoy blood that he would be stuck up and arrogant. That was the farthest thing from the truth. He thought of others. He was kind to them. He was gracious, well-behaved and accepting of people no matter what. His personality was very vibrant from a young age and as he grew older, the more his personality grew with him, and Annabelle felt a warmth inside of her heart over that sweet blonde boy with the brightest blue eyes that she had ever seen.

Annabelle was incredibly smitten with her precious child and it showed in everything she did for him and with him.

Who could blame her, though? Nero was growing up to be quite a brilliant and handsome young man. She radiated with pride whenever she spoke of her sweet boy and she couldn't wait for the wizarding world to get a vision of him for themselves. Once he was old enough, Annabelle knew, he was going to be a heart breaker and a moves maker. Her aspirations for her only child were set incredibly high because Nero showed her, every single day, that he was worthy of that high praise and high expectation. She never would give him the praise he didn't earn and, well… Nero earned it.

Once Nero had finished the paper he had been working on, it was off to the gardens. Grabbing his coat, he didn't even waste time. He felt like he had been working on that paper for an age and while he didn't mind school work, he had things to do! It was his birthday, after all, and he wanted to enjoy himself.

The train of guests continued on for well over an hour.

A tall man with white-blonde hair, dressed in all black attire, was greeted at the front door of the Van Buren Estate, a serpent cane in hand. He allowed the house elf at the door greeting guests to take his coat, giving a look around the foyer with deep gray eyes that seemed perpetually narrowed. With him, a smaller boy with the same aesthetic stood beside him, looking a bit more on the reserved side. On the boy's shoulder was the hand of a woman, wearing a black dress with a long green and black overcoat, her blonde hair a stark contrast to her attire with her sapphire stare looking down at the child.

"Draco, darling, why don't you run along and socialize with the other children?" The woman said, causing Draco to look up at her.

"Why do I have to be here? I would rather be at home."

"It's your cousin's birthday. Try to behave and enjoy yourself, would you please?"

"Mind your attitude, Draco. Do as your mother asks of you." The man's tone was even yet sounded a bit harsh, causing the young boy to look down.

"Sorry, father." He said quietly before looking up at his mother. "I apologize, mother."

"Thank you, Draco. Have fun. You may enjoy yourself, you know."

Draco dropped his jacket on the arm of the house elf before venturing off through the Van Buren Estate to do as he was told. Socializing was not something Draco liked being forced to do, especially not when it was expected due to family ties, but he would do as he was told by his parents. The woman slowly was removing her black gloves as she looked over at her husband, a look on her face that seemed to show minor disapproval for their son's manners, and he looked back at her, looking as if he were about to speak.

"Lucius! Narcissa! It's wonderful you could make it, welcome."

"We're happy we could make it, Anna." The man, called Lucius, spoke in a bit warmer of a tone, embracing Annabelle with a kiss to the forehead and a gentle hug. "Where is the birthday boy hiding, hm?"

"He's in the gardens, as seemingly usual," Annabelle spoke fondly of her son, leaning over to embrace Narcissa with a kiss to either cheek of her sister-in-law. "Is Draco with you?"

"We've sent him off to socialize," Narcissa said, smiling quietly. "We're working on getting him a bit more socially able before we send him off to any institution of study with other students. He's a bit standoffish, you see."

"Nero is the exact opposite of that, fancy that." Annabelle responded, "Come, join me for tea and we'll catch up a bit. It's been a minute since I've seen you both and there's always so much to chat about."

Annabelle lead Lucius and Narcissa into the sitting room to join her for a cup and a chat, knowing Emery and his parents, Elizabeth and Leonard Van Buren, were already in the room.

Temperature wise, it was a bit cooler in Trowbridge, Wiltshire. That didn't stop children from playing outside, especially when the birthday boy himself was outside in the gardens. Nero was playing with a couple of his older cousins, a pick-up game of Quidditch, where they were flying around the garden and tossing the quaffle back and forth. Nero had become quite good on a broom and he practiced every chance he got to fly. His father made sure that he had the best possible broomstick on the market to ensure that he was going to be flying as safely as he possibly could with the best possible equipment made available to him. Nero dipped down to fly toward the ground, coming up in a swoop to pick up the quaffle that was thrown short by his elder cousin, Dottie.

"Nice catch, Nero!" Dottie shouted to him, causing Nero to beam a proud smile at her.

"I'll be a Quidditch star yet, Dot!"

"There's no way you wouldn't be, ya know! Toss it up!"

Nero flew back up and did a loop around the massive Big Bellied Oak that stood tall in the back gardens. Once he looped the tree, he flipped the quaffle up and shot it off toward his cousin, who one-handed the quaffle but almost fell off of her broom with a laugh.

"Bloody hell, quite an arm on ya, Ne!"

She got the quaffle and tossed it to their cousin, Liam. The way the three of them got on was very friendly and Nero was happy to have them around that day. They didn't see each other as often as they, perhaps, would have enjoyed but their parents all lived very busy lives. Any opportunity they had to spend time together, though, Nero enjoyed himself.

Both Liam and Dottie, siblings themselves, were children of his paternal aunt, Ella Van Buren. Ella was a widow with two teenage children as her husband, a man called Jack, passed away in a freak accident a good three years previous. He was nice, from what Nero recalled of him, but Liam and Dottie were doing fine with just Ella. Though, it seemed as if Ella had taken fancy to a twenty-something-year-old lad at the Ministry called Evan. How scandalous. Though, as a Van Buren, Ella was quite the looker so it was no real surprise she would attract a younger man into her charms.

As they were in the gardens playing with the quaffle, the blonde cousin called Draco emerged outdoors. He had retrieved his coat and pulled it back on to venture outside when he had been told by one of the house elves where his cousin was. Part of Draco was incredibly reluctant to even talk to Nero as Nero's personality was a bit too… _much…_ for him. He was always so loud and excitable. He was almost like a dog who had too much energy and never stopped yipping.

Perhaps Draco was a cynical type but Nero was too much for him to deal with.

On the contrary, Nero tried quite hard to make Draco feel included in things when the Malfoys visited the Van Buren Estate. Nero felt it was his place, as the young master of the Estate, to welcome guests and make them feel at home and welcome. It was how his father raised him, as it were. It wasn't until the quaffle got away from Liam and almost swiped Draco that Nero noticed his younger cousin had made his way out to the gardens.

"Sorry!"

"Alright there, mate!?" Nero called out, checking to make sure that Draco wasn't startled or hit, which Draco waved off and dismissed.

Draco picked up the quaffle from the ground and held it in his hands, looking up at the witch and wizards trio that had flown over to where he was. He held the quaffle between his hands, his attention turning to look between them. His eyes lastly fell on Nero.

"Is this how you're celebrating your birthday?" Draco inquired, "This seems a little boring, doesn't it?"

"Not really, no," Nero responded indifferently. "I'm enjoying myself. They're enjoying themselves. We're having fun. It's not really that complicated, I don't think."

Draco scoffed.

"You could be doing anything you wish as it's supposedly _your_ day and you're doing things you could do any time. That seems so boring to me."

"Well, fortunately for you, you can do whatever you like. Fancy that." Nero forced, perhaps, the most sarcastic smile he could muster. That elicited a giggle out of Liam and Dottie as they kept position on their brooms next to Nero. "I would ask if you wanted to join us but-"

"I don't," Draco snapped, almost too quickly.

"As I was saying – BUT – you probably wouldn't be interested," Nero continued, blissfully ignoring that Draco cut him off. "Can I ask why you even bother? Every time you come here, no matter how much I try to be nice to you and include you in things, you want nothing to do with it. You whine and carry on about how you're not included but you willingly exclude yourself. Do you think it's cool to blow people off before they can even try to be nice to you?"

"I don't need you to be nice to me, Van Buren," Draco responded, his tone becoming a more uninterested drawl. "I'm only here because my mother and father insisted as it's _your_ birthday."

"Lucky me," Nero rolled his eyes at Draco's attitude shift. "Look. If you'd rather, toss the quaffle and be done with it. I'd love to have you around and I'd be happy to have you join us but you've already made up your bloody mind to be a jerk. It's a new record, isn't it? You usually take at least half and hour's time to transition into your usual bratty self."

Draco, in an annoyed huff, threw the quaffle at Nero. It wasn't the type of toss that Nero had asked of him, it was much more aggressive. That didn't stop Nero from catching the ball, not budging from where he was hovering with his broom. Draco flipped the tails of his jacket to walk off toward the house, his facial expression contorted into an irritated glare. Nero rolled his eyes again, his head turning to look toward Dottie momentarily.

"He's a bit of a pretentious little shit, isn't he?"

"Well he _is_ a Malfoy," Liam said, a cheeky smirk on his face. Nero glanced over at him after he said it, noticing his smirk. "You're only half."

"_He's_ only half," Nero reminded Liam.

"He carries the name, though. You do not, dear cousin."

"Small miracles, ay?" Nero said, laughing quietly as he rolled with his broom to fly downward, before flying back up in a loop, "C'mon then, Quidditch doesn't play itself!"

Nero threw the quaffle to Dottie and the game was back on.

Draco made it back to the house, watching his cousin and the Van Burens playing in the garden, which left quite the sour taste in the little brat prince's mouth. He knew that going to find Nero was going to result in him being irritated. He was only eight but something about Nero just bothered him to his core and he couldn't figure out why. He had never been so irritable with someone's presence before, in his life to date, but for some reason just being around Nero made him so … annoyed. Perhaps it was unfair of Draco to judge his cousin as harshly as he did but that 'merry sunshine' disposition he had drove Draco bonkers. How was he able to not _choke_ on all of that… positivity?

On the flip side, Nero held no disdain or ill feelings toward Draco. Not really. For one, Draco was three years younger than he was so Nero felt like it was beneath him to hate a child. He was a child too, for all intents and purposes, but Draco was _more_ of a child given the slight age gap. One thing he didn't appreciate, though, was any time Draco was around, no matter how hard Nero tried to include him or make him feel like he was welcome, it backfired. It wasn't in Nero's way of thinking or his personality to just exclude someone, even if they were a jerk, so he continuously tried but… sometimes trying just didn't feel like it was all that worth it given that Draco was almost unbearable the majority of the time.

He never understood how they could have shared blood but been polar opposite of each other. Even at his age, Nero knew that there was something quite peculiar about his cousin Draco that actually rubbed him the wrong way. Maybe he'd grow out of it and they'd be able to get closer as they got older but if Nero's gut feeling was accurate, he had his doubts.

Nevertheless, Nero would be damned before Draco Malfoy ruined his birthday or his birthday party. Let him be bitter and petty all he wanted. It was Nero's day. Draco could stuff it for the day and pretend he wasn't a snobby git whether he liked it or not.

Nero never was THAT person but… for Draco, he'd absolutely make the exception!


	3. I WANT TO JUST FEEL FINE

**[ Title** ] You, The Room & The Devil On Your Shoulder  
[ **Author **] Lena Horror  
[ **Genre** ] Harry Potter (AU)  
[ **Story Genre **] Drama/Angst  
[ **Rating **] Fiction M (16+) but some later chapters may reach MA (18+) because of content.  
[ **Pairings **] Draco Malfoy/Alena Snape (Original Character), Angel Raye (Original Character)/Oliver Wood, Most other pairings that are canon (mentions)  
[ **Word Count **] 3K

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**CHAPTER THREE: I WANT TO JUST FEEL FINE...**

_`` I don't have anything worth dying for but at least I'll live longer… ``_

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**SETTING: Fourteen Years Ago. 1st September. **

Nero was never the particularly impatient type but there was a certain inability to maintain his usual composure in the days leading up to 1st September.

The letter from Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry arrived, his parents took him to Diagon Alley to obtain his required supplies for the school year, and then, it was just a matter of time. He had been wanting that day to arrive for almost a year. Since his eleventh birthday, Nero knew what awaited him and to be frank, he was eager to get out of his home and out into the world, so to speak. The idea of going to school, meeting new people, seeing his cousins every single day, and experiencing Hogwarts for himself rather than through the stories people had told him, had him overwhelmed and positively giddy for the experience.

With Dottie and Liam both being in Slytherin House, he had high hopes he'd join them. Dottie was a third year and Liam was a sixth year so at least he had two people available in school to show him around and keep him company. He also wanted to join Slytherin House because both of his parents had been Slytherin, too. Not to mention, the Malfoy side had been in Slytherin for centuries at that point in time. He didn't want to be the first of his line not to be there.

Goodness, what if the sorting hat put him in _Hufflepuff_? That would be devastating…

Or worse… _Gryffindor_. Imagine that.

Getting to King's Cross Station early was key. London always intrigued Nero but he wasn't even phased upon being there at that time. He wanted to get to Platform 9 and ¾, get through and board Hogwarts Express toward the next chapter of the adventure he called "life". Perhaps most children would have apprehension about leaving home and being away from their parents and what was familiar but not Nero. He wanted to explore the world and it started by going to school. It was one step closer to having the opportunity to do so. Nero knew that, for his age, he was far too future focused than most, but he was very much focusing on the next few chapters of his life to come swiftly.

Nero was standing on the platform for the Hogwarts Express after going through Platform 9 ¾ with his parents. Both Annabelle and Emery seemed to have that "proud parent" glow about them as they stood with their only child preparing to embark on the adventure of a lifetime. Annabelle had a handkerchief at-the-ready, knowing that she was going to be a bit emotional over Nero, but so far… no tears had come. Thankfully. Emery had his hands on Nero's shoulders, crouched down in front of his young son, a smile on his face.

"Everything is tidy and ready, then?"

"It is, father." Nero said, smiling proudly, "I have everything sorted out and I'm ready to go. I'm excited and ready to learn, but more than that, I'm excited to see what's next."

"You know we're already very proud of you, yes?"

"I know. Thank you. I hope to make you both so much prouder, too."

Nero saying that got a sniffle out of Annabelle.

Knowing that her only child, her baby boy, was so focused on bringing pride to his family made her feel so many things. It was something that she could relate to, too, because she had those similar aspirations when she was a young child. She wanted to make her father, Abraxas, proud of her and she had managed to do so by scoring exceptionally in school and going down the path that she did once she was out of school.

Emery, too, had similar aspirations as a young man leaving Hogwarts. All he wanted to do was make his family proud and he had achieved that by signing to a contract with The Appleby Arrows. He was a Prefect, Head Boy, a star Quidditch player, a former Slytherin Captain… and all of the aspirations that he had came full circle by the end of his time at Hogwarts. Upon inking his contract with the team, he knew he had made his family proud, and now the name Van Buren was celebrated further in Quidditch being a generational star. In a big way, Emery hoped that his son would follow in his footsteps as he had – kind of – followed in his own father's footsteps. Though, Emery knew, every father aspired for their child to follow in their tracks. In a lot of ways, Emery was hoping that Nero surpassed him and blazed his own path.

"Right," Emery stood up from his crouching position, his hands resting firmly on Nero's shoulders. "Do you want us to help you find a seat or do you want to go with Liam and Dottie?"

"I'll go with them," Nero said with a warm smile. "I appreciate your willingness and desire to do so, but I'll be okay."

Annabelle moved over, leaning down to kiss the top of her child's blonde head. Nero beamed a smile up at his mother from her sweet gesture. It wasn't as if loving gestures were few and far between, because they weren't, but there was something special about that gesture then and there given that he was leaving home. Emery gave Nero a hug and a pat on the shoulder after giving his son a kiss to the temple. Nero grabbed his bag to carry onto the train, looking back at his parents as he stood on the bottom stair of the small platform to get onto the train.

"I'll write you," Nero said, his smile still intact. "Take care of mum while I'm away, dad. One of us has to, you know."

That cheeky statement got a laugh from Emery and a warm smile from Annabelle. As soon as Nero made the steps onto the train, however, that was it. Annabelle found herself in tears because the whole thing felt so much more real. Her little boy was growing too fast. Emery held onto her for a few moments before they were off back to London to do a bit of shopping. They were there anyway, so they might as well have enjoyed it.

On the train, Nero had found the car in which Dottie and Liam were sharing with another student. They saved him a spot, knowing that he would want to ride with them, and having the opportunity to share that "first-day" experience with their cousin would be nice. Not to mention, they actually got to see each other more now with Nero finally coming to Hogwarts. Dottie was thrilled that Emery advocated for Nero to go to Hogwarts, especially, because she wanted her younger cousin around. Liam understood Annabelle's desire to send Nero to Durmstrang but it was so far from home… not to mention they'd actually see him less than they already did so that would just never do.

Nero sat down in the empty seat that was available for him, placing his bag next to him. He was sitting next to a student he didn't know as Liam and Dottie were sitting next to each other. Dottie had the window seat, of course, as she loved watching the scenery any time they traveled and Liam was more indifferent than she was. Not to mention, he was preoccupied with chatting with the other student more than focusing on the outside of the car.

The young wizard that sat next to Nero glanced over in his direction, momentarily distracted from the conversation that he had been engaging with Liam. Noticing that he had been staring, in fact, he looked back to Liam. Liam chuckled softly.

"Alright there, Flint?"

"He just looks familiar is all," The young man, called Flint, stated.

"Well he's my cousin, for one," Liam started, sounding amused. "Nero's his name. Nero Van Buren. Nero, this is Marcus Flint. He's a third year at our school. Slytherin House. He plays for the Quidditch team. Chaser, as it is."

"Is this the cousin you were telling me about?"

"Indeed. Bound to be one of, if not the best, player that Slytherin's seen in an age," Liam explained to Flint. "Ya know, I'd dare say he's possibly even better than I am. Perhaps it's his dad's blood in him but he's going to be destined for great bloody things. Mark my words."

"So you're going to try out for the team when you're able, yeah?" Flint asked Nero, which made Nero nod his head in an affirmation. "Brilliant. Slytherin won't stand a chance at losing, then. It'll do the team some good, I wager."

"That's the goal," Liam added. "He'll, no doubt, be playing by next year. I have very high hopes for him. He's brilliant as a beater and everyone knows Slytherin could use as much talent as we possibly can manage."

The trip to Hogwarts saw conversation revolving around professional Quidditch, Hogwarts, Slytherin House, among other topics that came to mind. With the trip to Hogwarts being a bit lengthy, many topics were able to be covered. What was especially nice for Nero was feeling as if he was included, quite well, with the new lad, Flint. Perhaps it was because he was an avid fan of Quidditch and Nero's father was a professional player or the fact that they made the point to say that there was no way he would be in any other house but Slytherin, but the welcome was nice. It felt good not to be alone. He knew he would have Dottie and Liam but the addition of Flint was… actually quite nice. Even if he was a bit… odd looking, that one… the conversation was pleasant.

At the platform, Nero was separated from the group he had been with on the train. The two third years and a sixth year went one way and Nero went with the other first years to be brought in for sorting.

The castle was extraordinary. Nero took everything in as he walked with the group of fellow first years to wait for the sorting ceremony. He was impressed by the castle itself but just being there was a big deal to him, too. He finally made it to Hogwarts. He finally made it to wizarding school. That was the most exciting part for him. Everything else was the icing on the cupcake, in a manner of speaking. He was pretty distracted by the castle itself so when the doors opened for The Great Hall, he didn't even feel nerves seeing how many students were lined at the tables.

He looked over at the table where students in black and green robes were, seeing Dottie almost immediately. She was hard to miss. She also was the only Slytherin student who seemed to be paying attention to the first years being lead into The Great Hall. She was waving at him and Nero smiled back to her, waving a bit in the neutral Hogwarts robes he was wearing. He couldn't wait to get into Slytherin robes if the sorting hat saw it fitting to place him there. Good grief, was he hoping and praying the sorting hat knew where to put him… he belonged in Slytherin.

Given his name, Van Buren, he had quite a wait.

Nero watched anxiously as each student was sorted into their respective houses. A blonde girl to Gryffindor, a brunette boy to Slytherin, a quiet girl with black hair sorted to Hufflepuff, a brunette girl to Gryffindor… the names started to blur together as his attention shifted to look up at the ceiling. Noticing how the ceiling looked like the night sky with hundreds of candles floating in it, it was easily distracting and Nero was enchanted by how it looked as if The Great Hall truly had no roof. How exquisite. He was looking at the ceiling for a bit too long when Professor Minerva McGonagall spoke to shake him from his mental haze.

"Nero Van Buren,"

Nero's attention shifted and he walked the few steps up to the stool in which each student had sat on for their sorting. He sat down carefully, hearing the slight creak in the wooden stool as he sat there, simply from the wood being so old. He had watched as the sorting hat took ages with some of the students being sorted but as soon as he could smell the aging leather of the hat, with it being close enough, a bellow came from the hat.

"SLYTHERIN."

There was no hesitation from the hat. Nero was a Slytherin. Thankfully. Anything else wouldn't have been acceptable.

He stepped off of the stool, feeling a wash of relief overwhelm him. He truly shouldn't have been concerned, especially not with how swiftly the hat made its decision, but he made his way over to the end of the Slytherin table. Students at the table quickly welcomed him, shaking his hand and making him feel right at home. He looked up to notice Dottie smiling at him, mouthing, "told you", to her younger cousin. He caught Liam's eye down the table, as he sat with the sixth years, a nod coming from his older cousin as well.

He was a Van Buren. He was a Malfoy. There was no other house that would do.

The first night in the castle was a lot of getting used to how it worked. Going to the Slytherin Common Room after the welcoming feast was a big moment for him. He had heard that the common room was incredible at face value but until he stepped foot into it himself, he didn't realize how magnificent it was. The first night in the castle also gave him an opportunity to enjoy the time with his cousins, who were more than happy to spend time with him in the common room itself before bedtime. It felt like a great getaway and it almost felt more like summer vacation with his cousins than school. Sure, that would change once expectations were presented and the first classes were had, he was sure, but in the meantime, there was an excitement that boiled inside of him just being there.

Spending time meeting other students in Slytherin in the common room that first night was good, too. He had a brief exchange with Marcus Flint, of course, who introduced Nero to other members of the Slytherin Quidditch Team. The way Flint saw it, if Nero was going to be a member of the team in the 'near future', he had to know the team. For Nero, feeling that acceptance so quickly was both unnerving and very appreciated.

Before going to the dormitory to sleep, to prepare for the day ahead the following day, Dottie pulled Nero aside temporarily. He looked up at her and after she gave him a hug and a kiss to the top of his head, she smiled at him.

"Do you feel better, then? No more anxiousness?"

"No more anxiousness," Nero repeated with a smile. "As soon as that hat said Slytherin, I felt all of my worries drift away. I didn't want to be anywhere else. I wanted to be here with you and Liam. Besides, my mum and dad would have been gutted otherwise."

"What about you, though? Nevermind them. Are you happy with it?"

"Very much so," Nero assured her. "Slytherin is the only place I feel like I actually belong and everyone is very kind from what I've seen. I like that. I think I'm going to love it here within this house. No matter how bad it gets, which I'm sure – since it's school – it will, I'm happy with this outcome at the very least. I can't wait to see what this year has in store."

"Right then," Dottie smiled, "Off to bed with you. I'll see you in the morning. We can go to breakfast together if you'd like. You know, if you haven't already abandoned me for the boys."

"No way," Nero said with a laugh. "You're still my favorite. Goodnight, Dot."

When he scampered off to bed, Dottie watched him with a smile. She felt such a 'big sister' type of pride watching Nero grow up into the young man he was becoming more and more every single day. To think, within two month's time, he'd be twelve. Time had certainly gone by far too fast. Even without an outrageous age gap, she still felt overwhelming pride for her young cousin and the young man he was swiftly becoming. Before too long he'd be dating and excelling and doing great things. She could only hope that she had the opportunity to watch him closely as he grew and continued to evolve.

In the dormitory, Nero found it rather easy to get comfortable. His trunk and items had already been brought up so getting into his pajamas and into bed, he immediately was at peace. Normally, he struggled to find comfort in being away from home. He thought that he would struggle to sleep that first night away from home and would have to warm up to the idea of sleeping at Hogwarts. He thought he would have to bully himself into believing he was at home just to get some rest. That wasn't the case, however. To Nero, Hogwarts already felt like home, and as soon as he rested his head against his pillows and found his comfortable placement, he was out like a candle near an open window. At least he'd get a good night's sleep before the start of term and he would be well-rested to learn what he needed to learn. He had a feeling his time at Hogwarts was going to be brilliant.


	4. PRETTY LITTLE DISTANCE

**[ Title** ] You, The Room & The Devil On Your Shoulder  
[ **Author **] Lena Horror  
[ **Genre** ] Harry Potter (AU)  
[ **Story Genre **] Drama/Angst  
[ **Rating **] Fiction M (16+) but some later chapters may reach MA (18+) because of content.  
[ **Pairings **] Draco Malfoy/Alena Snape (Original Character), Angel Raye (Original Character)/Oliver Wood, Most other pairings that are canon (mentions)  
[ **Word Count **] 4.8K

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**CHAPTER FOUR: PRETTY LITTLE DISTANCE**

_`` I don't wanna leave, I don't wanna stay… ``_

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**SETTING: Eleven Years Ago. **

Time was flying, or at least, that's how it felt.

At the start of term, Nero was entering his third year at Hogwarts. His time at Hogwarts, to that point, had been incredible. He joined the Quidditch team for Slytherin, as a beater, last year at the suggestion of his friend, Marcus Flint. Playing for Slytherin was something Nero thoroughly enjoyed. Their house had been very successful in their games and it was something that made the bug to play long-term more and more evident for Nero. By the time he was a third year, just shy of fourteen, he thought he knew what he wanted to do with his life. That was something not everyone could say.

It was also the first year without his cousin Liam at school.

Dottie, just starting sixth year, was someone who helped keep Nero sane when things got particularly crazy at school. So having her for at least one more year was something that helped keep him down to Earth a bit. He knew that Liam was going to do well after Hogwarts as he had been eyed by a couple of professional Quidditch teams himself, he was just taking his time to "weigh his options", as it were. Nero couldn't blame him. He wouldn't take the first offer that came his way, either. Unless, of course, it was The Appleby Arrows. That would be the only exception to that.

As they sat together on the train, Dottie looked over at Nero.

"Isn't Draco supposed to be starting this year?" She inquired, "Or is he another year out?"

"No, this is going to be his first year," Nero confirmed. "My aunt already wrote me to ask if I could keep an eye on him. I responded and said I would but… hell if I actually want to. I know that sounds really mean and backhanded, and I don't mean it to, but he's

"Is he that bad?" Flint asked but Nero groaned, rolling his eyes.

"Not entirely, no. He's a child. You know. I think part of it is that he's just been spoiled to the absolute core and he'll grow out of it. Or, at least, I HOPE he grows out of it...because he could be a really good person underneath all of that. But he's a … bit of a pain, if you know what I mean."

"He's an entitled little shit," Dottie added, flashing as sweet of a smile as she possibly could after her statement. "He could be worse, though, I imagine."

"Mm..."

The dismissive tone Nero had was very rare but the 'he could be worse' comment was something that was truly up for debate. Even at eleven years old, Draco was borderline unbearable. He was spoiled to the absolute core, thanks to his Aunt Narcissa and Uncle Lucius, but more than that, he had an attitude that was completely unbecoming of a young man. He acted like he was better than anyone and everyone who crossed his path and for Nero, that left a foul sort of taste in his mouth. What also blew Nero's mind was that Draco acted like he was better than Nero, too, which was complete codswallop. Nero came from the same sort of lineage that Draco did but because Nero didn't carry the 'Malfoy' name, Draco thought lesser of him.

Truth be told? Nero would have much-preferred carrying "Van Buren". He didn't have to explain anything to anyone about his interest in Quidditch, for one, and for two, the Van Buren side was incredibly respected. There wasn't as much… controversy… with the Van Buren name as there was with the Malfoy side. The Van Buren side had their fair share of Death Eaters and the like but they lacked the controversy side that the Malfoy family relished in, it seemed. Even his mother Annabelle had her moments of negating the Malfoy side, dismissing it now that she was on a more 'straight and narrow' path with her husband. She associated closely with her brother and sister-in-law and her father but she didn't go out of her way to participate in the… extracurricular… that they still participated in, in spite of The Dark Lord's demise years previous.

Nero never understood the appeal of Voldemort, really.

Perhaps he was an odd one, in a family with a number of Death Eaters present, but he couldn't imagine answering to one wizard on a high-end power trip. That blew his mind in a not particularly good manner. Voldemort… what a joke. He also didn't particularly fancy the fact that people feared his name. For what? It was a name. He had done some pretty terrible things but at the end of the day, he was dead, and a baby was his demise.

That was embarrassing, wasn't it?

Nero was sitting next to Dottie, across from Flint, when another Slytherin shared their space. It was a second-year Slytherin named Adrian Pucey. Last year, there was talk of having Pucey try out for the Quidditch team in his second year so naturally, the conversation as the train left the station at 11 A.M, sharp, shifted to Quidditch and the plan for the year. They had a lot of ground to cover with losing some key players who were seven years the year before and they had to pad the team in the upcoming year to be able to secure the House Cup again.

As they were talking, Nero noticed his young cousin, Draco, walking along the aisle of the train to find a seat with a small group of first-year students. Draco looked up and caught Nero's line of vision, a slight sneer on the younger blonde's face. Nero narrowed his eyes in momentary confusion as to why Draco would look so disgruntled.

_Already. _

Dottie had noticed Nero's line of vision and saw the look that Draco gave him. She rolled her eyes momentarily, giving Nero's side a light nudge to break his concentration on the younger boy. When he looked at her, Dottie shook her head.

"Don't even think about it," She said, her tone encouraging to her younger cousin. "I am telling you, in the most polite manner in which I possibly can, that Draco is not worth your frustration. You can keep an eye on him from a distance and not have to interact with him TOO much. It's not like Hogwarts is THAT big. It's small enough that you could easily keep an eye on him and keep him as out of trouble as possible but trust me when I say, he's not your responsibility. Nor is it your job to keep him on the straight and narrow. You're not his parent, you're not his keeper, letting his spoiled rotten attitude put a damper on yours isn't worth it at all, Nero."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right."

"Of course I'm right, you git." Dottie flicked Nero's forehead in a playful manner, which got a minor grimace from Nero. "Don't let it ruin your year. There's no doubt that he'll be in Slytherin, yeah? I'm sure..."

"There is no doubt at ALL," Nero confirmed. "I would guarantee that the sorting hat won't even hesitate. As soon as the name Malfoy is even mentioned, he's going straight for Slytherin. It's even more inevitable than, say…. Me, being in Slytherin. There's no doubt whatsoever."

"So, there. That's how you can keep an eye on him. You'll see him often enough to know he's fine or at least as fine as he possibly can be having to associate with the 'lesser lifeforms' of the general public. I'm sure that's going to break his precious little heart."

Nero laughed quietly at Dottie's shady commentary but there was some truth to it. Draco _did_ act like people were below him when he had absolutely no right to act like that. Nero never understood that line of thinking and he hoped to everything good in the universe that he never identified with that line of thinking, either. He couldn't imagine looking at people who were different from him or not as fortunate as him as 'lesser beings'. Yet, he knew confidently, that Draco would act like that. It was how he was raised, after all. While they shared blood, they were raised very, _very_ differently.

Annabelle and Emery raised Nero to be kind but to also help others where he could. They raised him to work hard and expect nothing in return for being generous and helpful. Perhaps it was the Van Buren influence that was the biggest catalyst for the difference in raising. With Draco being part of the Black family, due to his mother Narcissa, they also had the same sort of mentality in a lot of ways that the Malfoy family had. It was no real surprise that Narcissa and Lucius would marry. Whereas Emery and Annabelle were raised with very stark contrasts.

The Malfoy family were a very underhanded bunch with a long history of dark allegiances. They had a history of underhanded practices as well as being tied to a lot of not-so-pleasant acts in the past. The founding father of the Malfoy Manor achieved his status, rumor had it, through shady and magical means. Granted, that was the ancestor that Annabelle insisted on partially naming Nero after but that was neither here nor there.

There was one major difference that the Van Buren blood inside of him accommodated for. He didn't share the Malfoy family's requirement for those types of dealings. Nero had grown into a young man who wanted to keep things as 'on the up and up' as he possibly could. He wanted to improve the lives of those around him. He saw how his father handled people, how he treated everyone he came across with a kind heart and a kind word no matter if they were muggle-born, half-blooded, pure-blooded or squib. He didn't care as much about blood purity as some did. None of the Van Buren family, albeit pure-blooded, did. Nero never saw blood purity as an excuse to treat someone poorly. Yet, he had seen it, with his own eyes, with the Malfoy family. His mother had struggled with it in the past but now she was doing quite well with not doing it. Nero swore that his father had something to do with that but that was neither here nor there.

Once they arrived at Hogwarts, the students who were years two through seven went off to be seated at their respective house tables while the first years were prepared to be sorted. Nero was sitting next to Marcus Flint and a couple of the other members of Slytherin on the Quidditch team and Dottie wasn't too far down sitting next to a couple of her girl friends. They were close enough that if Nero leaned over the table, he could not only see her but talk to her and communicate with her. Their friendship, aside from their relationship as cousins, was something that truly did keep Nero sane and he was grateful for it every single day that he spent within that castle.

Truth be told, he had no idea what he was going to do without her when she left school. That would be a huge bummer for him and it was something that he wasn't sure he was ready for. Though, in the interest of fairness, when Dottie finished, he wasn't far behind, so there was that.

The Sorting Ceremony came and went, and without surprise, Draco did land in Slytherin. The bloody hat didn't even touch the boy's white-blonde hair before it bellowed out that fateful declaration. What was especially curious to him was that not only was Draco in the class of first years, but Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, Voldemort's destruction, was in that same class. He was sorted to Gryffindor, which was a bit curious in Nero's opinion, but at the same time not really all that surprising if he actually thought about it. Part of him almost found it poetically just that the Boy Who Lived would be sorted into Gryffindor House.

Also, how many goddamn Weasleys _were there_? It felt like there were thirty of them. Not that he was judging, per se, but for goodness sake… how many children did one family need? Perhaps that was Nero judging, in a minor sense, as an only child but he couldn't even remotely IMAGINE having that many siblings. No thanks.

Nero wasn't the least bit surprised that he'd be sharing the next few years in Slytherin with Draco so a part of him did want to make nice, for a lack of a better term, with his younger cousin. He knew that he could have had a relationship with Draco if he tried but part of him felt like they were far too different to 'make it work'. That, and Draco had to be willing to work with him too, and the likelihood of that was very, very minimal. They had never been able to really get along for a longer duration of time, not even as children, so that was working against the theory from the get-go. It wasn't to say Nero wouldn't try, though. He would. Perhaps stupidly, but to him, the family did mean something and that did include Draco.

Time would tell if the sneering, blonde little git would ever grow past his 'I'm better than everyone with a pulse' stage…

The first interaction that Nero had with Draco didn't happen for days.

They had somehow actively avoided each other in the Slytherin Common Room, somehow passed each other entirely in the corridors, and barely had any interaction outside of a glance or a look in the Great Hall at meals. Granted, a big part of Nero's preoccupation came with the start of the school year, Quidditch, and maintaining the friendships that he had made over the three years that he had been at school. He also simply wanted to spend time with those he knew at school after a long summer of being away from school. Yes, owls existed and yes, communication and time spent together did happen, but it was different being back at school.

It was early in the morning on a late September Sunday.

The sun had only been up for a brief while but a lot of the students were awake. Nero was no different. Nero was an 'up with the sun' type of person who always seemed to have far too much energy for his own or anyone's own good. He had gone outside before breakfast to get a few laps in on the pitch, with permission of course, just to keep his Quidditch skills honed. He was a very disciplined young man for his age and wanted to succeed and that came through in droves when Quidditch was the subject. He was coming back into the castle when he almost ran into a familiar blonde.

Surprisingly, Draco was alone.

Since Draco had been at Hogwarts, he had been flanked by Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. Crabbe and Goyle were… odd, from what Nero had experienced in passing, but the strange part was to see Draco alone in general. That was unexpected. When they nearly ran into each other, Nero was expecting Draco to snap at him, but instead, Draco noticed that Nero had his broomstick with him.

"Early at the pitch, I wager?"

Nero responded to Draco's inquiry with a nod, at first. He decided, though, that maybe a conversation wouldn't be terrible.

"I spend a lot of time out there where I can spare it," Nero said, "Are you going to try out for the team next year?"

"I imagine so, yes."

"I think you'd do well," Nero said, his tone showing sincerity, which seemed to surprise Draco. Even if but a little. Nero scoffed quietly, more so in a playful manner than a judging one. "What. You act like I don't think you're capable. Stop it."

"Just seems a bit odd, I guess," Draco stated, looking at the broom Nero was carrying to looking back at Nero himself. "We're not exactly friends, so I suppose I don't understand your complementary nature."

"You're right, we aren't friends," Nero said. "We're family. I know we don't always act like it but we are. That means I'll always care about you, even when you don't want me to."

That made Draco smirk. An actual, amused kind of smirk. That was also pretty unexpected from Nero's perspective but he didn't seem to mind all that much.

"I never want that, you know." Draco's tone actually sounded more amused than snarky.

"Yeah, well, I never want to," Nero said, giving Draco a light nudge.

The real surprise there, though, was when Nero nudged Draco, Draco laughed. Albeit quietly, but he still laughed. In all of the years that he had been around Draco, Nero couldn't remember ever seeing him actually laugh or show any sort of positive emotion. It was always sneering or whining… looking angry, or seeming uninterested and bored. Talking about Quidditch seemed normal for young wizards, given how invested so many of them were, but for Nero and Draco to hold a civilized conversation in general was surprising, regardless of the topic of their discussion. Perhaps it was naive of Nero to think that one pleasant interaction with Draco could set the pace for a new relationship in the future but Nero was a positive, optimistic person at his core. Perhaps his biggest downfall in some regard, it was simply how he was raised, especially by his father.

"I'll talk to you later, yeah?" Nero posed and Draco gave a half shrug.

"I mean, you're unavoidable, you know. You're practically Merlin's gift to Quidditch if you ask anyone in our house." Draco did, however, give a bit of a smile. "I suppose we can chat again sometime. You know. If I must."

"You're kind of obligated, it's in the blood after all."

And there it was again. Draco laughed.

Nero was wondering if there was some kind of prank happening or if Draco was actually, genuinely amused by their conversation. Perhaps Draco had simply woken up on the right side of the bed and was pleasant that day. Perhaps it was the fact his cronies Crabbe and Goyle were nowhere to be found and Draco's ACTUAL personality was able to shine through a bit. Nero kind of appreciated it, though. How odd. Draco even smiled before he turned to walk off toward the Great Hall, which Nero gave him a smile in response.

As Nero was standing in the corridor, he felt a hand rest on his back, which caused him to turn. He saw a very perplexed Dottie coming up next to him. She stood next to him, looking up with a look of pure confusion. She had obviously seen the two boys with Malfoy blood chattering about and it seemed… not hostile. That was a first, even for Dottie, as she had always seen that dissension between the two Malfoy boys.

"Am I seeing things?"

"Depends on what you're thinking you've seen," Nero responded to Dottie's inquiry. "If you're assuming that you just saw a pleasant interaction between my cousin and myself, you would be correct, and I am just as bewildered as you are. Trust that."

"I never thought I'd see the day that the little brat knew what a smile was unless someone was on the receiving end of something horrible."

"Honestly, Dot, maybe he's not that bad." Nero shrugged. "People change. Maybe the experience here at Hogwarts is going to do wonders for him. It just may give us an opportunity to get to know each other and, well, I kind of think that would be cool."

"Just keep your guard up, yeah?" Dottie rubbed Nero's shoulder in a reassuring manner. "I'd hate to see you get hurt because he takes advantage of your kindness, Ner. You're far too trusting and far too compassionate for your own good sometimes. While it's admirable…."

"I know, I know."

"I'd just hate to see you be taken a fool by someone with a track record of being a bit unpleasant."

"He's eleven, Dot," Nero responded, patting her hand in a gentle manner. "I don't think anyone's truly a capable, mindful person at eleven."

"Fair enough, I s'pose."

The rest of the day saw Nero in a particularly great mood. Quidditch practice went swimmingly, the meals that day were cracking, his time spent with his teammates was ace, and of course, the time spent with his friends was good, too. It certainly was a good day to kick off another week of studies and hard work, that was for certain.

The day for Draco went just as well, too, on the other side. Draco was not used to actually finding Nero's presence especially inviting but that morning interaction with him was… nice. He thought about it a lot, too, given that it wasn't his typical day-to-day interactions. Crabbe and Goyle were good at taking orders and listening to Draco but they weren't exactly great when it came to craving intelligent interaction. They were rather daft, but at the same time, they were obedient so that took precedence. It was difficult being in the position he was in, with that Malfoy name, to need to succeed and do well. There was also the fact that he already was at odds with that bloody fool, Harry Potter. There was something about that boy that made Draco feel so impossibly furious and he couldn't put into words how it happened so swiftly. Just Potter's breathing made Draco fume.

Draco felt that, perhaps, he should have made some sort of attempt at being friendly or at least existing with his cousin. Not only did people seem to gravitate toward Nero, but Nero was on the Quidditch team, with all of the potentials in the world of becoming team captain very, very early should he want it. Quidditch was in his genes in a real way. The Van Buren family were known for that… his father played professionally… how could it not directly filter down to Nero? If Draco wanted to have that notoriety himself, he knew training with the best could actually benefit him. Was he planning on using Nero? Not entirely. Not really the right term. He was definitely thinking, though, how a relationship with Nero might actually be more beneficial to him in the long run than not having a relationship with him. If Nero didn't like him, the likelihood of him getting on the team the following year was null and void.

The remainder of that year had its ups and its downs. The Quidditch team had a decent year save for losing to Gryffindor due to Harry Potter, a FIRST YEAR, being on the team due to McGonagall playing favorites and pulling strings to make it happen. Oliver Wood, bless his heart, was all too happy to have Potter on the Gryffindor team but Harry was only one player on a team of average players. That was the Slytherin team's thoughts on it, anyway.

Nero spent a fair amount of time, here and there, with Draco. They seemed to be friendly or even mistakingly considered _friends_ by the end of the first term. When Draco wasn't with Crabbe and Goyle, he was with Nero and Nero's friends, which included the Slytherin Quidditch team. They had, basically, pretty much solidified that Draco would be welcomed to the team the following year should he want to take the position. They were looking for a seeker anyway. It wasn't really _fair_, per se, to pick someone out of favoritism, see their complaints with Potter, but… Draco was different. He was Nero's cousin, after all. Having cousins on the team might have called for a very unique dynamic. They had to know each other pretty well, right? That would mean great field chemistry and it would just be fun to see how Draco and Nero worked as a team.

While Nero planned on spending a bunch of his time that summer with Dottie and Liam, he did agree that he would spend time with Draco, too. Nero hadn't been to the Malfoy Manor often in… quite a few years… so he made it a point to tell Draco that he WOULD be swinging by when they were out of school. They both had their fair share of dislike about how things ended that year but everyone vowed to go back to Hogwarts the next year and really do their best to switch things around. Nero was going to be the fourth year, while Draco was entering his second so that they had plenty of time to turn things for Slytherin in a real way. The only downfall of looking forward to the next year was that it would be Dottie's last year at Hogwarts. That really bummed Nero out.

When Hogwarts Express made it back to King's Cross in London, Dottie and Nero were standing on the main platform having a chat. Nero was waiting for Draco, it seemed, who was having a conversation with a few other Slytherin students.

"You know, part of me doesn't want to go back," Nero said to Dottie, "This year was far too good and, well… if we don't go back, next year doesn't start."

"What's so bad about next year?" Dottie inquired but Nero sighed.

"I'm not ready for you to not be there."

Dottie gave an almost sad smile to Nero's comment. Dottie always thought that Nero's heart was far too big for his body and he had a way to really hit a person right in the chest when they least expected it. His kindness and his empathy were two of her favorite traits about her younger cousin but his companionship and friendship were two things that she cherished so dearly. Dottie brought Nero in to a warm, cuddling type of hug.

"Well we have the whole year, you know. Not to mention, by the time next year is over, you'll be a fifth year, yeah? You'll be doing incredible things and I think, truly, you'll barely notice my not being there. Or at least that's my hope so I don't feel as bad finishing school before you..."

"No, I'll notice," Nero said softly. "You definitely can't NOT miss your best friend no longer being around every day, you know."

The fact that Nero considered her one of his best friends really meant the world to Dottie. He could have simply considered her his cousin and left it at that but it seemed to mean more to know he saw her as a friend, as well. While they were chatting on the platform, Draco glanced over, noticing that Nero and Dottie were still present and he thought for a moment of going over. Though it seemed like they were having quite a moment together and he didn't want to intrude. Draco felt minor pangs of jealousy because he never knew what it was like to genuinely be that close to someone and not have it be for a reason other than personal gain. That was just what he grew up seeing and how he thought people were supposed to act. Maybe that was wrong.

"We can grab an ice cream in Diagon Alley before you head home, do you want to?" Dottie asked, which made Nero smile.

"I would. I'm sure my mum and dad can wait for a little while so we can do that. Onward to Fortescue's?" Nero held out his arm to her, which Dottie took with an amused smile.

"Onward, then," Dottie replied with a chuckle.

Noticing them walking off, Draco decided to stay put. He could have easily followed along but he refused to be a third wheel. The jealousy that he felt inside of him was more so because it seemed like Nero and Dottie had the kind of relationship anyone would kill for. They were family, yes, but they actually were friendly, too. It wasn't a, 'we're friends because we're related', type of forced relationship. They genuinely seemed to enjoy each other's company regardless. So, yes. Draco's jealousy was because he never experienced that kind of thing. Ever.

Perhaps when Dottie left Hogwarts, he would be able to have that kind of relationship with Nero. There was a sense that his jealousy toward Dottie Van Buren was completely unjust and he didn't WANT to feel like that but he couldn't help it. Not having someone close to you, at all, ever… it took a toll on a person. Draco was no different. He was young, sure, but feeling pangs of anger and jealousy over someone else's friendship was new to him.

Whatever. He'd get over it, he was sure.

Draco left the platform to seek out his parents, who were no doubt roaming around Knockturn Alley waiting for Draco to arrive back home from Hogwarts. He would just see Nero over the summer. Perhaps he'd be able to form a friendship with him as Dottie had with him. Maybe even better friendship. A partnership. A brotherhood, even. It sure beat the blockheads he hung out with all first year…


	5. FIGHT FIRE WITH CHEAP SHOTS & SET BACKS

**[ Title** ] You, The Room & The Devil On Your Shoulder  
[ **Author **] Lena Horror  
[ **Genre** ] Harry Potter (AU)  
[ **Story Genre **] Drama/Angst  
[ **Rating **] Fiction M (16+) but some later chapters may reach MA (18+) because of content.  
[ **Pairings **] Draco Malfoy/Alena Snape (Original Character), Angel Raye (Original Character)/Oliver Wood, Most other pairings that are canon (mentions)  
[ **Word Count **] 5.9 K

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**CHAPTER FIVE: Fight Fire With Cheap Shots & Set Backs  
**

_`` They take cloudless thoughts and pristine hearts for granted ``_

* * *

**SETTING: Ten Years Ago. **

Dottie's seventh year.

Nero's fourth year.

Draco's second year.

The time at Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry was zooming right by and everyone was powerless to stop it, it seemed. Some people were happy that it was going by fast – see people like Draco – because he felt like he had more to do in life than being stuck in a redundant, boring school. For people like Dottie and Nero, however, it was going too fast and neither of them was particularly excited about it. Once the new year had started and they were back in the castle was when the reality of it being the last year they had together as classmates. They knew it all summer, they knew that it was inevitable with every day that ticked on, but… it didn't make the actual start of term easier.

A lot was changing in general, though, beyond just Hogwarts and students cycling in and out of those walls as they had for centuries. The relationship that Nero had with Draco had… surprisingly improved… over the summer. Spending time at Malfoy Manor over the summer was an odd sort of thing for Nero but he couldn't say that he didn't enjoy himself. He got to enjoy time with his uncle and his aunt away from family gatherings, he got to play Quidditch and give Draco pointers here and there where the younger blonde Malfoy was curious and eager to learn, and they seemed to authentically enjoy being around one another. Nero noticed that Draco seemed like a totally different personality when he wasn't around his school friends. He didn't have that snotty, uppity vibe as much and he was almost down to Earth and fun to be around.

The biggest testament of the change over the summer was the fact that when students filed onto Hogwarts Express to go back to Hogwarts for the start of term, Draco sat near Nero and his friends. Dottie was especially surprised by that, going as far as to give Nero a look that showcased her confusion, but Nero merely shrugged and smiled in response. Dottie hadn't experienced Draco in a positive manner up to that point so she was taken aback by the younger Malfoy's association with Nero. Draco always seemed so stuck up and so snotty at the family functions that Lucius and Narcissa brought him to, hosted by the Van Buren's. It was a lot to take in to see him acting… _normal_.

Crabbe and Goyle, who seemed permanently attached to Draco's right and left hip respectively, didn't say much to Nero when Nero was around Draco. They almost seemed intimidated by Nero, which was hilarious in and of itself. Both Crabbe and Goyle made up two-to-three of Nero body-wise. They were rather large boys for their age and far, FAR more intimidating at face value than he ever would be. Nero was a classic sort of fresh-faced, fair featured, conventionally 'handsome' young man, as was described by various people. He had chiseled features, blonde hair, and sapphire eyes that he inherited from his father. Crabbe and Goyle could have rearranged his facial structure within seconds if they had truly wanted to, simply by brute force, and yet… they seemed nervous around _him_. That was curious and completely insane to Nero. Perhaps it was because he had that Malfoy blood and they seemed intimidated by Draco for that very same reason.

Why _else_ would anyone willingly be a 'yes man' to anyone else? That was all Nero saw them as, anyway. They weren't Draco's friends. They were yes men. Muscle without brains, in some ways. It was actually kind of sad to see twelve-year-old boys acting like they were for-hire mercenaries for another child. Whatever floated their feather, Nero supposed.

The beginning of the new school year would welcome a new member to the Slytherin Quidditch team. Flint announced that Draco was a new addition to the team that year, basically, from the moment that Slytherin students filtered into the Common Room that first evening. He couldn't wait to talk about Draco being an 'exceptional' addition to the team and how with Nero and Draco on the team together, there was no way they'd lose games. Another addition to the team came in the form of the Nimbus 2001. All of the Slytherin Quidditch team acquired them largely in part to Nero's uncle, Draco's father, Lucius Malfoy. Some might say that Draco bought his way onto the team but the way Nero saw it, even briefly, was to be the best, you had to have the best. He owned a Nimbus 2001 himself, having received one right before launch from his father – insiders, Quidditch celebrities, that whole gig – but he didn't bring it to school.

Upon receiving the brand new Nimbus 2001 from his Uncle Lucius, his name monogrammed 'Van Buren' on the broomstick, he couldn't say no to it. Gracious in his acceptance of the gift, he also shared in Flint's excitement. There was no way any of the other teams were going to be able to snuff a candle to the Slytherin team based on speed alone. It was almost an unfair advantage but all was fair in war and Quidditch. Or, at least, that was how Nero saw it. He was competitive as the day was long and he wanted to be _the best_. Bar none, no contest, the BEST… if that meant making the other teams at school look bad, so be it. They probably should have simply stepped up their game, really, if they were mad about it. Quidditch was the one place in the world that Nero showed his Malfoy stripes. Being second best was unacceptable. Being second best was not _ever_ alright. He didn't want his legacy at Hogwarts to go down in a firestorm of mediocrity. That would never be suitable for him.

The first month or so of school that year was … highly uneventful and almost tedious, really.

It was the same routine; breakfast, mundane classes, mundane classes, lunch, mundane classes, mundane activities, dinner, studying, … boring boring _boring_.

Not to say that Nero didn't enjoy being at Hogwarts because he thoroughly did, but there was something about how the days kind of bled together sometimes that just made it hard to focus. Perhaps it was getting used to school after the summer holiday all over again that made it complicated but there it was. It happened every year. The first month of adaptation back to school life was always a pain in the arse. He had to remind himself that the ends justified the means. He had to keep his focus, study hard, do the best he absolutely could, and everything post-school would be a sinch. Quidditch was the only thing to look forward to post-Hogwarts anyway, really, so everything else was just… there.

Nero spent a lot of his free time hanging out in the Slytherin Common Room or on the main grounds when he didn't want to be couped up inside of the castle. By the time late autumn and early winter rolled around, he'd be more hard-pressed to be outside given that it was a lot colder at Hogwarts than he would have preferred. Obviously, he was outside for Quidditch practices and things along with that nature but that didn't mean he absolutely LOVED being outside when it got that cold. A lot of his time was also spent with his group of friends, which now weirdly enough included Draco and his friends, for study groups and talking about Quidditch strategies. They also sometimes talked about things regarding other classmates. Little gossip sessions, if you would.

A couple of the girls in Nero's year particularly found Hermoine Granger, a second-year Gryffindor and one of Harry Potter's core friends, to be very irritating. Nero had no idea who she was, personally, because a lot of his time was spent focusing on his own studies and focusing on the Quidditch team so at first, the name escaped him. One of the girls, a girl called Abby, pointed her out in the Great Hall one day at lunch. Hermonie was a mousey looking girl, fairly plain looking if one was being honest, but she wasn't necessarily unfortunate looking. Draco, of course, added his two cents in as well.

"She's a bloody menace is what she is, all three of them are, really," He looked at Nero, "She's a mudblood, as it were. Fancy that, aye?"

"Interesting..."

Nero took one last glance over, momentarily making eye contact with the girl called Hermoine. Hermoine's eyes diverted to look away from him almost instantly, looking back to a red-haired girl next to her called Ginny. Weasley. Another...damn...Weasley. How many kids did they HAVE?! It felt like a question he asked every year but it was something worth asking. They had more children than Nero could have ever found comfort in.

"Not a fan of that one," Draco told Nero, as he had leaned in closer to not be too loud in what he was saying. "She's pretentious, on top of that, but the fact a mudblood feels so entitled is beyond me. Miss Granger, relative know it all, professor's little pet. I think the only professor who isn't captivated by the little git is Snape, and well, Snape's the only one with a bloody brain."

"That I can agree with," Dottie interjected, chuckling softly after she spoke. Nero gave her an amused smile when she spoke. "Come on, like you love every professor here."

"I don't," Nero admitted with a quiet laugh.

"Go on then," Draco said, smirking at his cousin, "Who is your _worst_? I'm sure someone has to rub you the wrong way something rotten."

"If I had to pick just one? McGonagall. She always has her nose in Slytherin and she doesn't belong there for a number of reasons. For one, focus on your own bloody house, would you? And for two, Transfiguration is boring as all get out. I have almost fallen asleep in her class so many times that I can barely keep count. I will never turn a cat into a cup, I promise you that much… so teach us something that we're absolutely going to use. She always seems so miffed too, why don't you take a breather? Go outside, get some air already, you won't die. I swear."

It was a feat to get Nero to talk negatively about anyone so the amusement of Nero trashing Mcgonagall had Draco and a few others at the table laughing. Nero knew putting negativity out there was not really going to accomplish much so he tried to refrain but since it was a lighthearted little thing, he figured it wouldn't do any harm. He also thought it was funny that his friends got so amused when he got into that sort of gossiping since he always decided against it.

A lot of things started changing that year, too, with the annoying addition of Gilderoy Lockhart to the teaching staff. Defense Against The Dark Arts? More like, 'look at me I'm a mock celebrity'. Draco, Dottie, and Nero had many discussions about his horrifically annoying attitude and disposition. Draco didn't like him for a number of reasons, including the fact that he was almost more irritating about his 'celebrity' as Potter. Of course, the two of them got on like peas in a pod. They would, wouldn't they? Irritating personalities meshed with irritating personalities… that was just how it went.

The school year as a whole, however, got more curious when something unexpected happened, too. Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat, was attacked by an unknown source, but the real surprise wasn't the attack. It was the etching of a cryptic, dark message on the wall near where she was found petrified.

**_The Chamber Of Secrets Has Been Opened. Enemies Of The Heir...Beware._**

Nero wasn't present when Mrs. Norris was discovered, or that Harry Potter and his friends Ron Weasley and Hermoine Granger were at the scene when it all happened. Curious how THAT worked, wasn't it? Sounded suspicious as anyone could wager yet, of course, only certain professors with a brain thought the same. The buzz from the corridor where Mrs. Norris was found didn't stop in the corridor, though.

Draco didn't take terribly long to get to the Slytherin Common Room. He knew if Nero wasn't in the common, he'd be in the dormitory, given the hour. Thankfully, for him, Nero had set up shop at one of the tables in the common room and looked like he was elbow-deep in one of his homework assignments. Perfect. Nero probably could have used a break anyway and the events that had just transpired seemed all too good not to share immediately. He knew those idiot professors were going to try to keep things under wraps. They always did. They thought the students were dumb but alas, that was not the case.

"Nero, take a minute,"

Draco spoke, breaking the silence of the room, his tone somewhat hurried as he made his way over to where his cousin was sitting. Nero's hair was in his eyes but he blew the fringe bit of his bangs out of his blue eyes, looking over toward where he heard his cousin's voice coming from.

"Alright there, mate?"

"Mrs. Norris was attacked," Draco started, and momentarily, Nero looked like he was trying to remember just WHO Mrs. Norris was. "Filch's fleabag."

"Ah, … wait, what? " Nero put his quill down, "Who attacks a cat?"

"The Heir of Slytherin, apparently."

A moment of silence fell between them and the look of confused intrigue on Nero's face brought a smirk to Draco's features. He knew that Nero would be interested in that. Nero was a bit of a history buff, as it were, and had divulged deep into the history of Hogwarts before they even attended the school. That love of history didn't disappear, either, which was a big reason why Draco immediately rushed to tell Nero about what was going on. Draco pulled up a seat next to his cousin, his tone low and hushed so the conversation would be between them should any other students walk into the common room as they were chattering.

"There was this writing on the wall, you see," Draco started, "It looked like it was written in blood, too. It said, 'The Chamber Of Secrets Has Been Opened. Enemies Of The Heir, Beware'. The professors looked proper spooked, so I figured-"

"Is that verbatim?" Nero asked, turning in his seat so he was more eye-to-eye with Draco. "Is that exactly what it said?"

"To the letter," Draco responded.

"The Heir Of Slytherin… bleedin' Christ. Is that a thing? How is anyone a living heir of Slytherin in this point in time? That's over a thousand years of lineage..." He realized that he was rambling, "Also… enemies of the heir? Salazar Slytherin was a blood purist. So muggle borns…?"

"Sounds like we've got a lot in common," Draco sounded amused but Nero didn't follow suit. He seemed very focused. "You look like you're thinking..."

"The Chamber Of Secrets is, allegedly, a myth. The professors and past administrators, allegedly, couldn't find anything. Rubbish, I think. Hush-hush and all of that. I believe it's true. I believe there is a secret chamber in this school. The castle and grounds are huge. Hiding a chamber in any of this place would be a bloody sinch."

"You're having entirely too much fun with this," Draco chuckled, "I knew you'd love this."

"Can you imagine?" Nero's hands rested on Draco's shoulders, pulling him in a little closer as his tone got quieter. "Can you imagine if the chamber _is_ open? That means muggle-borns are going to be at risk being here. There are so many of them. School is going to have to be closed if students start dying..."

"I hope that little mudblood Granger is the first to go," Draco said, his tone cold when he spoke. "That would make this school a much better place..."

"Fifty years ago, a student did die here," Nero continued, moving past what Draco had said. "I don't remember the name but I do remember reading it was a girl. I'm going to have to look back into the books my father gave me about theories and stories from the school's past but if memory serves, they caught the person who let the creature loose to kill off muggle-borns. Though, that makes no sense now, because unless that Heir had children and that child goes to Hogwarts _now…_." Nero realized he was babbling. "...Insane. We're living through history, Draco. This is mental."

"If you figure out who it is, you'll have to tell me," Draco sounded entertained by Nero's rambling. "You're having entirely too much fun with this, aren't you?"

"Entirely," Nero responded with a smile. "This is going to be legendary. If students are targeted next, and it's a muggle born, the writing on the wall is legitimate. The Heir would be here, the chamber WOULD be opened, and someone will be carted out of here on a bloody wooden board… this is unreal. It sounds morbid as all hell but I am so glad that I'm here for this… I would have been so mad if this happened after I left school."

"Lucky for us we get to experience this at the same time," Draco said with a chuckle. "I wonder if my father knows anything about this."

"You should ask him if he does. Mostly because I want to know what he would remember. I'm going to write to my dad and see if he has any other books on this kind of stuff, too. If we can figure out who the heir is, we could get to know them. I wonder if it's a boy or a girl." He paused, "It's probably a boy, wouldn't you think?"

"Perhaps. It would make sense, wouldn't it?"

Nero started packing up his books to bring them to the dormitory. He was not going to be able to focus on his school work with all of the scenarios running through his head. He also was going to go upstairs to write his parents a letter because he wanted those books and he wanted that information something awful. He wanted to cross-check everything. If the Heir of Slytherin WAS at Hogwarts, it had to be a first-year on top of it, given that if the Heir of Slytherin had been at Hogwarts the whole time… why wait until now to open the chamber? Did they know something that everyone else didn't? ...Besides, of course, the ability to open up the so-called fictional myth of a chamber.

There was no denying that Nero did believe the chamber was a real thing. It was just a matter of figuring out where in the castle a chamber like that would be. He was going to do some major investigating where he could spare the time. That would be something worth discovering.

Sure enough, the first student that was attacked was a muggle born.

First-year Gryffindor Colin Creevey, a Harry Potter fanboy, and muggle born student was attacked and left petrified. This sent the school further into a panic regarding the warnings from the Heir of Slytherin. It was curious, really, how the students were being petrified because that was some advanced magic. So it made Nero think that the Heir couldn't be a first-year at least unless they were groomed to do that kind of thing from a very early age. By whom, though? That was the next thing. There were so many questions and not nearly enough answers for the situation at hand. Nero had obtained a couple of books from his father, specifically, that he had started studying and reading between doing work for his classes. Draco and Nero had started putting their heads together and their own information together to try to figure it out, too.

There was a lot of rumors flying around about WHO the Heir could have been and one rumored individual made Draco laugh out loud:

Harry Potter.

How could Harry Potter be the Heir of Slytherin? He was in Gryffindor. Not to mention, he was… well… _Harry Potter_. He didn't need any more unnecessary or unearned accolades put onto his already massive ego and name.

"No no no," Nero shook his head as he walked through the corridor to the Great Hall with Draco, Dottie, Crabbe, and Goyle. "There's no way that Potter would be the Heir."

"Well. He _does_ speak Parslemouth, though, which is why Slytherin's whole vibe is reptiles." Dottie responded. "That is a bit curious."

"That's a weird coincidence," Nero said, almost too quickly. "I'm sorry but there's no way. He couldn't be the Heir of Slytherin. There's just… there's no way."

"Please," Draco sounded slightly exasperated. "Potter? Puh. He doesn't have the spine to be a Slytherin, let alone the _heir_ of our very house,"

Draco sounded a little bitter when he spoke but it WAS understandable. Most of Slytherin was proper sick of Potter and he wasn't even in their house. When the small group of Slytherin students walked into the Great Hall, there was a bunch of chattering but curious by his absence was, in fact, Harry Potter. Harry's friends were sitting at the Gryffindor table, huddled up and looking like they were having a conversation of their own, which caused Draco to snicker quietly, leaning over to Nero.

"I wonder if Granger is nervous yet,"

"Probably," Nero said, somewhat dismissively. "I know if I was a half-blood or less I'd be … petrified."

Draco laughed out loud at Nero's pun which left Nero smirking a little. Dottie slowly turned her head, looking over at Nero, seeming both amused but surprised by his cheeky comment.

"I'm sorry. That was bad. I know."

"That was brilliant," Draco retorted in an entertained tone. "You'd be petrified… bloody hell..."

In some ways, it almost felt easier to crack terrible jokes about students being attacked as a pureblooded witch or wizard. Nero, Draco, and Dottie were all of the pureblood lineages so they didn't have as much to be concerned about if the attacks truly were only on muggle born students. Nero felt a little bad about making light of the situation, especially if students were being targeted due to their bloodlines, but sometimes… well, humor helped.

It did seem insensitive, though, so Nero had those pangs of feeling bad for the students impacted by that kind of thing.

Draco, on the other hand, thought it was not only hilarious but, in a lot of ways, he hoped it was foreshadowing, too. The more mudbloods that were put down, the absolute better. He still had hoped for Granger being next on the list.

As the holidays got progressively closer, many students made plans to return home for Christmas. Nero usually went home every year but that year, he was opting to stay at Hogwarts. Dottie was going home, per usual, for the holiday but Nero decided he was going to stay to keep Draco company. With his cousin staying at school for Christmas it didn't seem fair to have him by himself. Sure, Crabbe and Goyle were staying at school but Nero wanted to offer some family ties up, too. It would also be the first time that Nero was spending Christmas around Draco so that added to the whole decision. He was trying to be there for his younger cousin more and that was a good way to do so.

While at the castle over the holiday, allegedly, Crabbe and Goyle were acting more peculiar than usual, according to Draco. They were asking questions of Draco that they already had the answers for, and they were acting weird in general. Granted, it was a short period of time supposedly, but still… it was enough for Draco to mention it to Nero. Nero was a little off about them as it was, they always kind of seemed a bit… curious… to him. It wasn't saying they were his least favorite people in the world but he didn't care for them either way. Indifference, after all, was the true opposite of hatred.

The Christmas holiday saw Nero and Draco spending a fair amount of time together, not only trying to figure out who might be next if the attacks continued and discussing what they knew and were learning about it, but also they were able to talk about their individual goals, life expectations, and quidditch. Nero found that his relationship with Draco had never been better and in a lot of ways, he was happier because of that. He wasn't sure why but he was grateful for the opportunity to have a relationship with his younger cousin. He knew his mother got along fairly well with her brother, Lucius, so there was no reason for Draco and Nero to act like strangers.

Draco, too, was happier with the relationship improvement with his older cousin. He learned a lot about how resourceful, intelligent and clever Nero was. That was far better to have as a friend rather than an enemy. Starting young with having allegiances and people you could depend on was very, very important to success in the future. Did that mean that Draco was using Nero? Not quite. It definitely meant that Draco was making sure to have all of his allegiances started early, though. Nero was a good person to have on his side and he was planning on keeping it that way. He would have hated to waste such an intelligent and helpful prospect.

As the school year went on, more students were attacked, including – much to Draco's amusement and pleasure – Hermoine Granger. Draco howled and wailed in delight when that was discovered that Granger had been petrified and was in the hospital wing.

"It's a shame that she wasn't killed, but this is just a good, I think. Maybe they won't be able to revive her, that would be the funniest part of this."

Draco's declaration caused Dottie to feel a bit uncomfortable. Not only was he HOPING for a student to be harmed but he was hoping for another student to die. That was a little too much for her. She gave Nero a look, which suggested that she didn't like what was said, and the look on Nero's face also showed he wasn't a fan of that declaration, either. It was one thing to drop the unflattering term for muggleborns as freely as Draco did but to wish death on another person was… not something Nero was going to have any part of.

"You really have it out for that girl, don't you? That's a bit extreme, don't you think?" Nero said, which caused Draco to look over at him.

"I don't think any of her kind should even be here, but Granger is the worst, I'd say. So no, it's not extreme at all, if you think about it."

Draco didn't hesitate with his statement. The blood-purity thing was something Draco had been groomed with from his parents from a very early age, and as he was getting older, he believed the same as they did. Nero didn't seem to share that sentiment. Nero shook his head, visibly, standing up from where he had been sitting in the common room. He grabbed his books and walked out of the common room, going to the dormitory to separate himself from the situation. Dottie, too, stood up and walked out of the room but Draco seemed relatively unphased by them leaving. If they didn't like anything he said, they didn't have to stick around, that was a fact. He wasn't going to sit there and listen to his younger cousin be that closed-minded and accept it. There was no reason for him to accept it. Nero enjoyed being around Draco but he wasn't going to idly say nothing to someone being hateful and cruel toward another living being over things that were out of their control.

Nero ended up leaving the dormitory entirely with Dottie to go for a brief walk through the castle. They both needed to separate from that kind of thing. When they were far enough away from the Slytherin Common Room, Dottie looked over at Nero.

"I guess it was a matter of time before those true colors surged to the surface, hm?"

She broke the silence with a statement that was painfully true. Perhaps Nero didn't _want_ it to be true, given that he wanted so desperately to be friends with Draco, but having a difference in values that deep and that vast was … a lot to swallow, for a lack of better term. Nero sighed.

"I guess, a part of me, didn't want to think that he was like that. I know sometimes how a person is on the surface is how they really are but…." He trailed off. Dottie put her arm around Nero's back as they walked, giving him a light squeeze hug. That was nice and made him feel a little better. "There's a phrase, though, when someone shows you who they really are, whether you choose to ignore it or not is on you."

"When someone willingly shows their true face, you should probably believe them. 'At face value' isn't just a theory, Ner."

"Yeah. I suppose that's right."

The next few weeks would be challenging if he had to separate himself from Draco, as Nero had become very close to him over the year, but… he couldn't ignore that kind of thing. He couldn't be friends with someone who was willing to be hateful. It wasn't how Nero was raised nor was it how he was at his core. He couldn't stand that Draco was actually THAT much of a Malfoy. He knew the Malfoy family were known for their blood-purity elitism and he couldn't deal with it. If his own mother had managed to shift away from that upbringing, there was no reason anyone should ever treat another witch or wizard-like they were lesser simply because of the purity of their lineage. Lineages barely made sense anymore. There was barely a witch or wizard in the day in age that wasn't half-blood or less. Pure-blooded witches and wizards were a dying breed.

The end of the school year came to a close after a turn in events. The saga with the Chamber Of Secrets took an interesting turn when a first-year student, a pureblooded student, Ginny Weasley, was taken into the Chamber. She was retrieved and survived by rumor had it that the 'Heir Of Slytherin' was Tom Riddle. The journal had been brought to school by the youngest Weasley girl, somehow she acquired it along the way, and it was made back to the school grounds. The journal was enchanted by Tom Riddle's spirit, curious as that was.

The journal was a Horcrux, evidently, Nero had learned. That was some really advanced stuff, though, and his brain started to go into overtime to try to figure out just how crazy that had to be to turn a journal into a Horcrux. If there was the one, just how many WERE there out there of Tom Riddle? Or, Voldermort, as it were. That was something to think about. He was obviously very privy to the workings of Voldermort's power and reign, as his mother was a Death Eater previously, but part of him was left to wonder if Voldermort ever managed to find his way back into fruition, would his mother rejoin him? She was a Death Eater before he was really 'a thing', but… many questions popped into Nero's head because of that. He knew that Draco's parents were both involved in that kind of thing but that wasn't surprising _at all_ with the kind of child they were raising.

The remainder of the school year would see Nero distancing himself from Draco in a big way. He only spoke to him when necessary. When Quidditch meetings happened, that was a thing. Otherwise, he kept his distance and only had brief encounters with him. Draco didn't seem to care or didn't seem to press matters so Nero figured well enough was to be left alone. If it didn't mean enough to talk about, perhaps, their relationship wasn't meant to be something to fight _for_. It was a bummer, in a lot of ways, but alas… it was what it was. Nero wasn't going to lose sleep over it. He had friends at Hogwarts that he didn't need to rely heavily on Draco for companionship. Even if he didn't have those friends, there was a very strong possibility that Nero wouldn't have cared. He would have rathered be alone than around someone who was hateful and cruel without any proper reasoning. That was not the type of people he wanted in his life.

When it came time to leave Hogwarts, it was almost easier for Nero to leave with the nonsense with Draco. Being able to create the distance for a few months would make his life a lot easier. He didn't need to worry about answering any questions, and he knew, he would be able to avoid the Malfoy family that summer. All he had to do was tell his father he wasn't interested in spending unnecessary amounts of time with Draco, and if he felt so compelled to – tell him why – and he knew that his father would back him up. If there was one thing Emery Van Buren was not a fan of, it was racism. His father was part of the reason that his mother was able to step away from that purist mentality and be more accepting toward witches and wizards of all backgrounds. Even if she wasn't a fan, per se, she didn't act like she was better than anyone. That was a huge improvement.

That summer would see Nero spending a lot more time with Dottie and Liam in London. With Dottie finishing school, she was no doubt going to move to London, and to be honest, Nero would have preferred to be with Liam and Dottie than to be stuck at home all summer. Besides, London was far more fun. He could get into his own kind of trouble if he felt the urge to. That kind of trouble wouldn't include racism and nonsense in that vein. He could enjoy the summer before his fifth year, get some exposure to the world outside of his home, experience a bit more and take the time to distance himself from the whole 'family' dynamic at home for a more friendly-type of dynamic. Yes, Dottie and Liam were blood-related, but they were more best friends in addition to the family. That was the kind of dynamic he really wanted.

In all reality, there was also the pangs of sadness knowing that he'd never have that kind of relationship with Draco. It was another reason he wanted that so badly that summer. He needed and wanted to repair the hole that he felt over the relationship with Draco. A lot of people might have thought that Nero was a soft person and he cared too much but that was legitimately truthful. He did care too much. He did want to have those type of strong, loving friendships and relationships in his life. He may not have been that old but it meant a lot to him to have those staples in his life toward his future life. Some friendships were lifelong and he thought, maybe, he could groom a lot of that while as a teenager. Perhaps Nero just wanted too much. Perhaps, even more so, Nero just knew what he wanted and wasn't going to settle.

It was the Van Buren way, after all.


End file.
